The celebration of the Centenary of the Men’s Spanish Open, the sensational contribution of Spaniards José María Olazábal, Miguel Ángel Jiménez and Sergio García in the victory of the European team in the Ryder Cup and the recognition of the international triumphs achieved by Spanish golfers were the central focus of the 2012 Spanish Golf Gala, a meeting point for this sport where the RFEG also paid a warm tribute to various people who have contributed especially to the development of this sport in our country.
The image of Azahara Muñoz and Carlota Ciganda, together on stage, celebrated with a standing ovation by all attendees, reflected in a very significant way the excellent quality of Spanish golf, which in the professional field, week after week throughout 2012, has achieved very good results to become a reference within the various Professional Circuits.
Gonzaga Escauriaza, re-elected President of the RFEG in the morning, thanked in his speech all attendees for the effort and contribution to the sport of golf of golfers, parents, clubs, professionals, Sports Committees, Territorial Federations, sponsors, media, etc., a message conveyed in an event that was attended, among others, by David Villaverde, Director General of Sports of the Superior Sports Council, in a new show of support for Spanish golf.
In the sports field, recognition to the golfers who have achieved international triumphs throughout 2012, without going any further than Azahara Muñoz, who won the exclusive Sybase Match Championship, placing her among the first in the World Ranking, while Carlota Ciganda became, in the season of her debut, number 1 in the European Ranking, a historic fact that only Laura Davies achieved before, with special mention for the triumphs of the Navarre golfer in the Dutch Open and the China Open.
The decisive performance of José María Olázabal, Miguel Ángel Jiménez and Sergio García in the development of the Ryder Cup was also recognized, as well as the efforts of professional golfers who have won titles throughout 2012 and have contributed to place the name of Spain at the top, This was the case, once again, of Sergio García, winner of the Wyndham Championship on the American Tour, or Miguel Ángel Jiménez, who rewrote part of the history of the European Tour by winning the Hong Kong Open and becoming the oldest golfer to win a tournament on the European Tour.
Rafael Cabrera also received recognition when he won the Dubai Dessert Classic and made a very important quality leap in his career. The same happened to Gonzalo Fernández Castaño in the BMW Italian Open, which he has taken a liking to winning, while Eduardo de la Riva, besides obtaining the European Tour card, brilliantly won the Fred Olsen Challenge de España.
The tribute was extended to the many golfers who have achieved international triumphs during 2012 in the amateur field, with special mention for the Spanish teams that reached the podium in various World or European Championships.
Special mention should be made of the spectacular performance at the World University Championship, where Spain won all four possible gold medals – apart from one silver and one bronze medal – in the men’s and women’s team and individual categories of this tournament.
Full happiness also in the Women’s Senior Individual European Championship – triumph of Rocío Ruiz de Velasco – and in the U16 European Championship where, in the individual category, the talent of the Asturian Covadonga Sanjuán also became a gold medalist – while collectively Spain won silver -, while Basozábal climbed to the top of the podium in the Women’s Club European Championship.
The silver medal in the U18 Women’s European Championship and several and numerous successes in junior and senior categories, both in Europe and the United States, completed the long list of triumphs and honorees in this 2012 Golf Gala, where once again, the recognition of an effort in which golfers, parents, teachers, clubs, committees and Territorial Federations as a whole participate was materialized.
In addition, during the event, the Medals of Merit in Golf were awarded to those persons designated at the meeting of the last Board of Directors for distinguishing themselves for their dedication to this sport: Macarena Tey, posthumously -in the Silver category- and Pablo Chaves, Juan Taracena, Juan Antonio Martínez de las Heras, Juan Antonio Nuño de la Rosa and Esperanza Aguirre, in the Gold category.
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